2021 FC UNITED MIDWEST CLASSIC TOURNAMENT RULES (Aug. 15, 2021) LAWS OF PLAY

2021 FC UNITED MIDWEST CLASSIC TOURNAMENT RULES (Aug. 15, 2021)
LAWS OF PLAY
Play will be governed by the FIFA Laws of the Game, except where amended by USYSA Rules of Play, the
State Soccer Association Rules of Play and/or the tournament Rules. These rules may be modified before
the beginning of tournament play. The final Tournament Rules will be published in the Tournament
Program. A player may only play for one team during the tournament. Any ineligible player discovered
will cause the team on which he played for to forfeit any game.

TEAM, PLAYERS AND COACHES CREDENTIALS
Players must be registered to the team making application. Teams must be registered and in good
standing with their US Youth Soccer/Canadian affiliated state/provincial association/US Club. Teams may
have up to 5 guest players; guest player forms will be required. Player picture identification cards are to
be present and available at all matches. Teams must comply with their state association’s travel
procedures. A player can only play on one team in any single age-group/flight during the tournament. A
player may be dual-rostered, as long they are not competing in the same age group or playing down into
a younger age group. All Dual Roster player requests must be pre-authorized by the Midwest Classic
Tournament Committee. Any and all exceptions requests must be directed to the Tournament Director
or the Tournament Registrar. A roster certified by your state association must be submitted before or at
tournament check in. Any Team participating must carry valid player’s passes. All teams must follow the
applicable procedures of the US Youth Soccer Travel Policy. Out of state teams must have US Youth
Soccer Permission to Travel Papers on file at your state association office (if applicable). All teams are
also required to carry written medical releases from parents/guardians in case emergency medical care
is necessary.

COVID PROTOCOL
As a COVID protocol, a team shall share the same sideline as their spectators. The opposing team and
their respective fans shall be along the opposite sideline.

Please follow CDC Guidelines relative to player participation and/or spectator attendance.

HOME AND AWAY TEAMS
There shall not be a traditional coin toss.

Home team will be listed first on the schedule. Away team will be listed second.

The “Away” team shall be awarded the kick-off.

The “Away” team is also responsible for wearing an alternate color jersey, if necessary, as determined
by the referee. The team listed second shall be the “Away” team.

EQUIPMENT/UNIFORMS – SHINGUARDS ARE MANDATORY
Teams must have matching uniforms, and should have numbers on the jersey back. Goalkeeper must
have a different color, preferably not black. If team colors conflict the “Away” team is responsible for
changing colors. All player equipment is subject to Referee approval. All players must wear shin guards
and the referee has the right to request players to put on shin guards that are sized properly.

PLAYING CONDITIONS
Teams will be expected to play according to the schedule of games regardless of weather. Only the
Tournament Director(s) may reschedule games or alter the competitive format because of inclement
weather or other just cause. Games shall be considered complete if one half has been completed and
play is stopped by the Field Representative or Referee, Commissioner of Referees or the Tournament
Director(s). When necessitated by playing conditions or just cause, the game format may be altered to
include shortening of games, penalty kicks or coin tosses.

BRACKETING
4-TEAM BRACKETS: (one four-team bracket): Round robin games with each of the other teams in the
bracket. High point team will be Champion.

5-TEAM BRACKETS: (one five-team bracket): Bracket play is round robin games with each of the other
teams in the bracket (each team gets 3 game min). The high point team is the Champion.

6-TEAM BRACKETS (two three-team brackets): Each team will play three games including one crossover
match-up game. Would play 2 games against teams within bracket and one match-up game versus the
opposite bracket in ranking order (highest point from pool A v highest point from pool B, etc). The
winner or the game between the top seeded teams from the 2 brackets, will be determined the
Champion.

POINT SYSTEM AND BRACKET WINNERS
Bracket winners will be determined by the following point system:

Win ----------- 3 (three) points

Loss ----------- 0 (zero) points

Tie ------------- 1 (one) point

Shutout ------ 1 (one) point

A team that forfeits a game will give up 3 (three) points to the declared winner of the game and shall not
advance to a final match. The match will be scored as a 4-0 win for the declared winner. If a team is not
scheduled for three bracket games, that team's point total will be prorated based on the number of
scheduled games played. Point total thus determined will not be rounded off.

AWARDS
U11 – U19 - player awards will be given to the Champion in your flight.

U9-U10 will play in a festival format. No Championship or Final.

TIEBREAKERS IN THE EVENT TEAMS ARE TIED IN POINTS
If at the conclusion of play, two or more teams have the same point total, advancement matches or
division champions will be determined using the following tiebreakers in the order listed until a team is
eliminated. Once a team is eliminated, advancement among the remaining teams shall again be
determined by the tiebreakers in the order listed starting with head to head competition.

1. Head to Head (if teams tied in points)

2. Goals Scored Minus Goals Allowed (Max. diff. of 4 goals – ex. game score of 7-1 would be scored 5-1)

3. Goals Against

4. Goals For (Max 4)

5. Most Shutouts

6. Fewest Red Cards

7. Earliest to Register for the event.

SUBSTITUTIONS
U09 - U12 – at any Stoppage and unlimited (at the discretion of the Referee)

U13 - U18 – with the consent of the Field Referee substitutions may be made, from the center of the
field, prior to either team’s throw-in or either team's goal kick, after a goal scored by either team, during
a stoppage of play for an injury and in accordance with the Laws of the Game. A cautioned player may
be substituted for before restart of play with the Referee's permission, this is not mandatory.

GRACE PERIOD
U9 – U12 A minimum of five players constitutes a team.

U13 – U14 A minimum of seven players constitutes a team.

A (5) five-minute grace period shall be extended beyond the scheduled kick off time if five
(U9U12)/seven (U13-U14) are not available at the scheduled kick off time. A team of five (U9-
U12)/seven (U13-U14) players must start the game as soon as seven players are at the field after the
originally scheduled start time. If at the end of the 5-minute grace period the team does not have five
(U11-U12)/seven (U13-U14) players, the referee shall suspend the game and report the failure of the
team to appear to the Tournament Director(s). The Director(s) may declare a forfeit. Any team that
forfeits a game will not be allowed to advance out of their group to the finals.

GAME LENGTH
Age Game length, format and Overtime

U9 & U10 (7v7) Two 25 minute halves. Halftime 5 min.

U11 & U12 (9v9) Two 30 min. halves. Halftime 5 min.

U13 - U14 (11v11) Two 30 minute halves. Halftime 5 min.

U15 - U19 (11v11) Two 35 minute halves. Halftime 5 min.

Due to the restrictions of the event and tournament format, any injury time may not be added onto the
match time. The referee shall have discretion, as long as the match time does not infringe on the
subsequent game scheduled kickoff time.

Game duration for all ages may be modified at the Tournament Director’s and Committee’s discretion.

RED CARDS
The player(s) receiving the Red Card and the Coach must report to Tournament Headquarters following
the game. Player will be suspended for a minimum of 1 game. The suspension may be increased
depending on the severity of the incident, at the discretion of the Referee and the Tournament Director.
If a Red Card is received in Final Match, the player will have to serve suspension in the following year’s
event.

MISCONDUCT AND ABUSE
Referee, player and spectator abuse will not be tolerated during the tournament. Abuse by the player,
coach or fan will be reported to their Home State Association within 48 hours of the end of games. The
player, coach or fan will be removed from the soccer complex and will not be allowed to return for the
day. As such, re-entry may be approved only by first reporting to the Tournament Headquarters.

REFUND
There are no refunds, unless games are not played due to weather. In the event matches are canceled
by the Midwest Classic Tournament Committee and/or the City if Cedar Rapids, the refund policy shall
be as follows:

65% - No games played

30% - 1 game played

0% - 2 games played

No other refunds will apply.

TEAMS, PLAYERS AND COACHES
All teams and players must be affiliated with the USYSA or a US Soccer sanctioned affiliate. Players may
be registered to only one team playing in the tournament. Player passes and roster may be checked
prior to each match.

GAME ROSTER
After check-in/registration, teams may not alter their rosters or make additions/subtractions at any
time. Tournament roster will be limited as follows: 7v7 at 14 active players, 9v9 at 16 active players,
11v11 at 18 active players. Although rosters may exceed the number above, only the active players may
compete in a given match.

TEAM DISCIPLINE
A coach is responsible for the words and actions of his players and their fans. Verbal abuse of the
opponents or referees by players, coaches or spectators will not be tolerated. Violations may result in
forfeiture of the game and/or expulsion from the tournament. A coach may be carded for failure to
control his/her players and/or team fans.

A red carded player and his/her coach must report to tournament headquarters immediately after the
game in which the card was given to determine the player's status for subsequent games. Decisions will
be based upon the rules of the Iowa Soccer Association, the sanctioning organization for the Midwest
Classic.

PROTESTS
Protests must be presented in writing by the head coach to the tournament headquarters within one
hour of the completion of the game, and must be accompanied with a $100.00 cash bond, which will be
returned only if the protest is upheld. Only protests that concern the Laws of the Game and ineligible
players will be considered. Referee judgment will not be a basis for protests. Decisions of the
Tournament Director are final and may not be appealed.

COMPLIANCE
All players must be properly registered with US Club, USYSA and/or an approved US Soccer affiliate.

Any damage to vehicles or personal articles are not the responsibility of the Midwest Classic
tournament, it’s Directors or Agents, or the City of Cedar Rapids. Any vehicles ticketed or towed due to
non-compliance of complex or tournament rules, are the responsibility of the vehicle owner.

Any spectator asked to leave the complex must report to headquarters prior to being allowed re-entry.